Eskimos' new head coach Jason Maas says he knows Edmonton expects team to keep winning

Former Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Jason Maas said he had no hesitation about trading in his red and black outfits for the familiar green and gold when he accepted the job as the Eskimos head coach.

Maas, who spent nine seasons with the Esks as a player, leaves his post as the Ottawa Redblacks offensive co-ordinator — a role where he squared off against Edmonton just weeks ago in the Grey Cup. He was recognized for his work helping the Redblacks’ offence, led by QB Henry Burris, improve the fortunes of the fledgling franchise in only its second season.

The Eskimos announced the decision to hire Maas on Monday.

“I’d like to say to Jason, ‘Welcome home,’” Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey said Monday afternoon at a news conference to introduce the team’s new head coach.

Hervey said the decision to hire Maas for his first head coaching job came after a thorough selection process. “Many will feel that because we’ve had an existing relationship with each other that it was a slam dunk decision,” Hervey said. “However, there were many qualified candidates out there to interview.

“I felt where organization is, moving foward, I felt this was a seamless transition for us,” he continued. “But I also felt for the long term strategic vision that I have for this organization, Jason is the right fit, not only for on the field but beyond.”

Maas’ move to the Eskimos’ sideline as the team’s 21st coach is the latest coaching staff shuffle to hit the Canadian Football League in recent weeks.

The Eskimos had barely finished lifting the Grey Cup in victory when the Saskatchewan Roughriders came calling for coach Chris Jones on the heels of a disasterous 3-15 season. Jones departed for the Roughriders on Dec. 7 to take over as head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations, leaving the Eskimos in the hunt for a new coach. Though Jones had one year left on his contact with Edmonton, general manager Ed Hervey said the team would never stop someone from an opportunity to advance.

In selecting Maas, Hervey opted for someone Edmonton knows well, and who likewise, knows the city and the franchise. Maas played with the Eskimos from 2000-05 and from 2008-10. He was the team’s most outstanding player in 2001 and 2004 and became only the second Eskimos QB to pass for more than 5,000 yards (Hall of Famer Warren Moon was the first) in ’04. He served in later years as backup, confidant and unofficial coach for QB Ricky Ray.

Maas said it was always his goal to return to Edmonton in a coaching capacity and will start the next season with the vision of the Eskimos winning another Grey Cup.

“I understand the expectations of Edmonton. I’d always prefer that no matter what, you expect to win here,” Maas said. “I think I would prefer to come into a situation with great personnel, great people and great people. I think when you are 14-4 it’s obvious you have that here.”

A news release from the Eskimos upon his retirement in 2011 said that the former University of Oregon player “earned a special place in club history in 2005 when he came off the bench in both the West (Division) semifinal and the final games to ignite the offence and engineer game-winning drives, propelling the Esks to their 13th Grey Cup championship.”

Maas moved into coaching after he retired in 2011. He started as a receivers coach with the Toronto Argonauts and then began the 2012 season as quarterback coach. He remained with Toronto until December 2014 when he joined the Redblacks as offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach.

He said he knew immediately he wanted to apply for the Eskimos job when it opened up, though he hesitated in the past leaping at interview opportunities for offensive coordinator jobs when he didn’t feel ready prior to accepting the position with the Redblacks.

“This opportunity that’s in front of me was too good to pass up. I was at least going to throw my hat in the ring and let Ed decide whether I was ready or not,” Maas said. “I love football, I know football, that’s why I decided.”

Former Eskimos coach Danny Maciocia told Journal columnist John MacKinnon recently that Maas was as “coach in the making from Day 1.”

“Whenever I would sit down with him, he would always ask the question, ‘Why. Why are we doing that? What are you looking at? What do you see?’,” Maciocia said. “It extended beyond the position that he played. Why are we blocking it that way? Can we block it this way? Or, how about that route, can we cut it off at 14 instead of taking it to 16. He was always thinking, you know?”

Maas said during a Redblacks stop in Edmonton in July that he loved coaching football.

“It’s another step up the ladder and I’m really enjoying my time putting game plans together with the coaches, teaching players the scheme that you want to implement, watching football and dissecting it,” he told the Journal. “Getting to see games played out in front of your eyes is a truly exciting experience.”

Maas said he will announce his assistant coaches in January.

Hervey declined to comment on reports that the Redblacks are asking the Eskimos for compensation for hiring Maas, saying Monday was a day to talk about Maas and not behind-the-scenes issues.

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